The Strong, Silent Type

Happy Friday, crime slicksters. You ready for the weak-end? Feel like you're gonna blow your top? Need a little ... action? Then get your tight little asses over to the coolest hardboild-pulp-noir joint in cyberspace ... at That Killing Feeling.

Onto today's chapter from BLOOD GETS IN YOUR EYES, where the going gets tough, and the tough ... we'll, they just have to tough it out ...

When we last left hooker Alona Tal and drug dealer Beggar Leck, they were trying to get in touch with underworld figure Vlad the Impaler, who was going to help them dispose of the dead body in Alona's hotel room. Problem is, they find out unexpectedly that Vlad has been killed, and now they have to take care of the situation themselves ...


INT. ALONA’S SHITTY HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT
Groovy space-dub from Thievery Corporation
softly thump-thumps on the boom box.
Alona sits on the window sill. Lights a joint.
Takes a big hit. Holds it in. Exhales.

ALONA
(looks at the bed)
How you doing under there, Oscar?
Feeling a bit -- stiff?
(listens)
The strong, silent type, huh?

A light RAP-RAP-RAP on the door.

BEGGAR (O.C.)
Alona, it’s me.

ALONA
Come on in, it’s not locked.

The door OPENS. In walks Beggar and Lief.
Beggar closes it. Locks the door behind him.
Smiles sadly at Alona.

BEGGAR
Hey, babe.

ALONA
Hey.
(looks at Lief)
Hey, there. Uh --

LIEF
Lief.

ALONA
That’s right, River’s brother.

LIEF
Funny. I’ve NEVER heard that before.
(to Beggar)
So where’s the -- you know.

BEGGAR
Under the bed.

ALONA
Thank god you’re here.
I’ve been going fucking stir crazy.
Can you call your friend,
see if he can come sooner?

BEGGAR
Yeah. Good idea.
(pulls out his phone)
Can I get a hit of that?

Alona nods. Hands him the joint. He takes a big hit.
Passes it to Lief. Punches in a number. Listens.

INTERCUT WITH:

EXT. WAREHOUSE/FETISH CLUB - NIGHT
A few PATROL CARS are parked in front, cherry lights FLASHING.
A CORONER’S OFFICE TECH wheels a body
on a gurney toward a waiting ambulance.

A SURLY HOMICIDE DETECTIVE (40’s) watches.
Lights up a smoke.

A phone RINGS in the body bag.
Coroner Tech stops. Looks.

SURLY HOMICIDE DICK
Let me answer it. It could be a lead.

RING-RING.

CORONER TECH
Sure thing, Dell.

Coroner Tech unzips the bag.
We see it’s Vlad’s. Dead and bloody.

Dell fishes around in his pockets,
pulls out the phone.
Puts it to his ear. Listens.

DELL
Who is this?

BEGGAR
Vlad? You’re not Vlad.

DELL
No, I’m not. Vlad’s dead. Who is THIS?

BEGGAR
Vlad’s DEAD? Who is THIS?

DELL
Homicide detective Dell Magid.
I’d like to ask you a few questions --

INT. ALONA’S SHITTY HOTEL ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Beggar SNAPS his phone shut. Looks at Alona, wild-eyed.

BEGGAR
Holy SHIT.

ALONA
Vlad’s DEAD? What happened?

BEGGAR
I don’t know. It was a fucking COP.

LIEF
Who’s Vlad?

BEGGAR
He was supposed to come here and help us with our --
(looks at the bed)
Problem.

ALONA
So what the fuck are we going to do NOW?

BEGGAR
Guess we’re gonna have to take care of it ourselves --